Expert demands withdrawal of ban on diabetic drug pioglitazone

 PUNE: Chief diabetologist at Ruby Hall Clinic and the director of Diabetes Care and Research Centre Dr Abhay Mutha has demanded withdrawal of the ban on pioglitazone,

an anti-diabetes drug. He has said that it is a cheap and most effective anti-diabetes drug, ideally to be given to patients under the supervision of diabetologists.

The Central health ministry had banned the specific drug on June 18 on the grounds of possible side-effects on health. Addressing the media on Friday, Dr Mutha said, “Despite India being the diabetes capital of the world, diabetes management has very few options here and pioglitazone is one of them. It is probably the most potent and effective oral drug option among the five available, the sixth being insulin.”

According to him, an estimated 30 lakh diabetes patients rely on pioglitazone combinations that helps in preventing many diabetes-related complications in the long run.

“Every drug has side effects. In that case, all other diabetes medicines should have been banned. Metformin can cause lactic acidosis and liver abnormalities, sulphonylureas can cause cardiac abnormalities and the gliptins, on which patients are supposed to be shifted post pioglitazone ban, are under scrutiny for causing pancreatic cancer.” According to Dr Mutha, if monitored on a regular basis, the patient can stay away from these risks.

Saying that the sudden ban, without consulting the doctors' panel and any recent study, has created panic among patients, and they now have to shift to more expensive alternatives, which too do not guarantee no side effects.

Instead of banning the drug, he recommended that the government have a rethink on an urgent basis and doctors should caution high-risk patients.

FDA’s rationale

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Pune has directed distributors of pioglitazone in Pune to stop purchasing this specific anti-diabetes drug. They have also been directed to return the available stock of the drug.

FDA joint Director (Drugs) BR Masal said that the Drug Controller General of India had issued a notification on June 18, banning the manufacture and sale of pioglitazone.

SIDE EFFECTS

- Uncontrolled weight gain

- Body-fluid retention

- Cancer of urinary bladder

- Heart failure in heart patients